Honor US troops still at war

Columbus Dispatch: America’s war in Afghanistan entered its 13th year last week, and chances are few Americans noticed — no more than most Americans have taken much notice of the war for many years.

It’s easy to understand why: Americans are weary to the bone of fighting seemingly fruitless wars in far-distant lands populated mainly by people of radically different cultures who don’t much like the West.

What started out as an effort to punish those responsible for 9/11 has turned into an interminable and exhausting slog, even though it finally did bring justice to Osama bin Laden, the architect of the atrocity that started it all.

The loss of more than 2,100 American lives in Afghanistan and the mind-numbing waste of American treasure — lost to corruption, incompetence and bottomless chaos — is overwhelming.

But here’s the thing no one should forget about Afghanistan: American soldiers are still there — 54,000 of them.

Every American can and should honor, thank and support the men and women still serving.